A bloke who gave up alcohol for 1,000 has opened up about the surprising impact it had on his love life.
Many of us have considered lowering our alcohol intake, or cutting it out all together - usually after a particularly heavy night. However, whether our vow of abstinence lasts longer than the weekend is another matter.
But Chris Williamson, who hosts the Modern Wisdom Podcast, decided to cut out booze for 1,000 days as ‘a productivity experiment’ and shared his findings in a clip he uploaded to YouTube.
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Kicking off the clip, Williamson said going sober had been the ‘most powerful personal development strategy’ that he’s ever found, before sharing the ‘biggest lessons’ he discovered while completing the experiment.
Williamson told his 1.7 million followers that stopping drinking had seen a huge boost to his productivity and that he felt his attention and focus vastly improved - all of which led to him being happier.
Knocking the sesh on the head, also made Williamson feel ‘truly confident’ without the need to be propped up by alcohol on a night out. He explained that with alcohol, he ‘had to become genuinely confident’ and ‘cultivated a genuine charisma’.
He also opened up about the impact it had on his dating life, with Williamson admitting that dating became ‘harder with some girls’, but that others liked the fact he didn’t drink.
He explained: “Most dates are in bars or restaurants, you sit down and you get a bottle of wine, or you have a couple of drinks at the bar, and not drinking can be jarring because it makes the other person feel awkward. They might need the drink on the date, so they have confidence and it's not just a silent car crash.
“So some girls didn’t like it. But others did. Going sober was a signal that I’m the sort of guy who has big goals and makes sacrifices in the moment for big achievements in the future.
“It separated me out from all the other British lads who just live for the sesh.”
Williamson said that the reaction from women about his drinking also helped him to decide if his date was the right one for him or not.
He added: “If a girl doesn’t have the confidence to do a first date sober, and can’t understand why someone would rather chase their goals than a hangover, she’s probably not for me.”
You can find an alcohol or drug service in your local area or use the following information to get support:
With You provides a range of support for alcohol, drugs and mental health via a local service or online. These are free and confidential services and include the following:
- Drinkline provides advice for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s drinking – phone 0800 731 4314, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- Alcohol Helpline can provide advice and support if you’re over 50 and are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking – book an appointment online or phone 0808 801 0750, Monday to Friday, 12pm to 8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- Know The Score provides support if you’ve taken drugs, are thinking of taking them, or are just curious and want to know more – use their webchat or phone 0800 587 5879, Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Topics: Sex and Relationships, YouTube, Mental Health
Claire Reid